Bucket conveyer



y 2, 1953 H. w. HAPMAN 2,638,205

' BUCKET CONVEYER Original Filed March 18, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Sumo/whoa g is N A 7 mfg away Q 3% @Wv W Ii 7C2),

May 12, 1953 H. w. HAPMAN 2,638,205

BUCKET CONVEYER Original. Filed MarchlB, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 12, 1953 H. w. HAPMAN BUCKET COIWEZYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed March 18, 1944 Patented May 12, 1953 BUGKET' CONWEXER Henry W; 'Hapmam'fDetrdit, ,Mich assignpr, by m m f fo s: per 'centfto Han- 'r' l man, DetlfoitfiMich.

' OriginaI- mpplication March "18; 19514;; :Seria1- No. .;,527,036. Divided and thiswanPlication-July 30,

1948IISeriall'Nol $41,511

3 J'Glaims. All '*"Thiszinvention'relates tooonveyorsmntilin pan. tic'ul-er "to bucket conveyors.

* One object or this invention is to "provide a *bucket conveyor wherein'the individual buckets are provided witlr-removable-pans which are detach'elbly secured 'thereto so as *toypermit' replace- :ment or interchanging of'sucnpans fonrepair *purposes or to adapt the conveyor to "different "conditions-of "use.

fend replaced"*fromtime"to timei'and thereby oompensete -for" Wear" "and breakage.

i-Another*objectiof the invention istoiprov'ide e; drier "and conveyor structure in which -the "conveyor'lis composed of at series-of buckets supported by transverse rods connecting conveyorohains with the buckets 'rotatably'"n ountedithereon in such a manner as to;protect'thebearingrsurfaces :a ainst the entrance of thetmateria rbeing oonveyed and .thereby' reduce asgmuoh as IP'QSSible friction and wear on the bearing surfaces :"of the conveyor structure.

2 Another object 'of "the .inventionfis'to: .provide a" drier i of. the: above-mentioned ",type having: :2, =conveyor structure which thebuokets are piviotejlly "susnended "between enp'air of spaced con- 'veyor (chains With'ithe vremoveible. or detachable bucket units secured to "spaced end ',p1ate mem- "bersim'ounte'd on a tubularwmembermtvhichiisrotata'bly supported on'the. suspension ro'd "connect- .ing-the conveyor ehainsno'as :to eliminate material being ocnveyed'fintiingiits may to'thebearing surfaces land toffecili tate "the reduction of wear onsaidibearing surfaces.

l.Another obi out of ithe invention isito provide a, conveyor structure of"'the above-mentioned :fcharacter in which a: series :of conveyor buckets dswupsehded' between spaced conveyor chains with thebucket portion of the conveyor jbu ckets formed of a piece ofmaterial seeured to erecitaingulartfrarme whichiisremovemy i and detach- .ielbly positioned between a, p'etir of suspended end plate members sothatthe bucket pan portion of ithewconveyor buckets may be easily removed and replaced by bucket pans Tim-med .of, .qperforeted materi'alnsuch', as screening or theiiike.

i 'l his is a division of rmy .coepending. applicationfSeriuL No...5 27,O3,6,H filedMar-eh 18, 194,4,for ,CombinedDrienand"ConveyorQStructure Therefor, which" subsequently matured ,intoIIJ; LS 'Paitent'No. 2,476Q039 of July 12, 1949.

(owes-45o) "In" fithe'" drawings:

"Eigure lri-is on enlarged ip en view *ofone form of the conveyor struoture ofthe present invention QWithjpUI'tiOnS "thereofbroken away and in section to show various struoturePfeatures and details ;o'ffithe"invention;

TJFigureZ is a vertical longitudinal sectional view joniine 2-2 of'Figure 1,1'ooking in-the direction of the. arrowsend illustrating the mannerin :ivhich theiconveyor buckets are disposed "and spaced onefrom the :other;

Figure 3 is a transversesectional "View taken on line 3+3 ofFi'gure 1,"1o',oking'in the direction r "of "the arrows to; illustrate the various structural 1 details :of one of the conveyor buckets em'ployed in.thenonveyorstructure;

Figure 14 is *a vertical cross-sectional view taken yon. line 4-'-ffcif"Figure' 3 'fui'ther illustrating the *bucket iconstructi'on and the" manner in'which theremovztble buoiretpan istheld inplecebetween the spaced. end members;

Figure 5 "is" avertioal "cross-sectional "view simil n' to 'Fi'gure .4 showinge solid.- bucket pan confstructi on. iniieu-of the'retiouiate pen shown in 35 "Figure 4;

"fFi'gureSus a"ton'fpianwiew of a portionfofe "modifiedconveyor structure also having remov- 'r'ab1ebucketpans FF'Figure "7 iseflongitudi-nal 'section through the conveyor structure-"shown *imFigure" 6, taken along the line 1-1 "inFigureB.

Figure-8 is a -vertical sectionxtaken-aiong the "line 8 inFigure I7; and

.TEigure-Q-is a perspectiveview-of orient the re- 5 movabiebucketpans detached from the-conveyor structureishown' in Figures fiito" 8 inclusive.

Referring to *the' drawings in detail, Figures 1 to 5 'inci usive' show-a portion of aoonveyor structure generaliyjdesigreeted 60 including a; pair "of 744) "opposedhorizontai channel guide members 6| supported a n'd -braced innnwsuitame manner, '*i1.1"--the"me;ni1er shown in the Hemmen enr-ilic ettion*SerieNNo. $321,036, filedMefch 18, "194 i, fo1- Comb edDrier and Conveyor Structure "Therefor, of ivhich the present application is e division. "iii/ omitso1 fortravel {in the channel member 60 isa-pair of spaced-end1esseonveyor angan se having inner and outer linksS'I and "'fifi' connected by pivot pins s9. Th'e'links sienna 5o 6B are spaced by means of rollers 'Iliwhichare adapted to travel" iri the channel guide members 6 i As shown "in Figure "$3,"?the ohannel guide '::mem;be rs""6 I are r formedof engle bars "1 I welded or otherwiseseouredptogether as at 12 .with one 5 oftheirflanges"inoverleppingtrelation. The "rollers"!!! 'areeiiapted to ride and'travelin said channel guide members 6| and extending between and supported by the conveyor chains 86 is a series of supporting rods 13 with their ends as at 14 projecting through alternate sets of chain links 66, 81 and 68 so as to supplement alternate pivot pins 69. The ends of the rods 13 are flattened as at 15 for receiving guide members 11 which are interposed between overlapping ends of the outer links 81 as illustrated in Figure 1. A cotter pin or key 18 is extended through an aperture in each end of the rod 13 to hold the rod and conveyor chain in spaced apart relation with the guide member 11 engaging one of the flanges of the channel-shaped guide member BI. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 13 is a pair of end bucket-pan-supporting members 19 having openings 8-] for permitting the passage of said rod 13 and each of said end members 19 is cut away as at 8| to permit air entrance at each end. Extending along the top edge of each end member 19 is flange '82 reenforced adjacent each end thereof by web portions 83 and a central rib portion 84. The area of the end plates 19' adjacent the opening 88 is reenforced by a bearing boss 85 (Figure 2). Said bearing bosses 85 are cut away as at 86 for receiving tripping arms 81 so that the inner surface of the tripping arms may be substantially flush with the inner surface of the end member 19. The free end of the tripping arm 81 may be T-shaped as at 88 to provide hooked portions at each end thereof as at 83.

Extending between and connected to spaced pairs of end plates 19 is a conveyor bucket pan formed of a wire screen member. 88 having its upper edge bent over a rectangular frame SI and held in place by U-shaped clips 92. The U -shaped clips are adapted to be held in place by bolts 93 which extend through suitable openings in the end members 19 so as to be locked in position by nuts or the like 84 threaded on opposite ends thereof. The rectangular frame BI receives the front and rear edges of the wire mesh conveyor bucket pan an in substantially the same manner, and as shown in Figure a, said edges are return bent over the longitudinal portions of the rectangular frame as at 95 with the free ends of the wire screen secured to the body portion by soldering or other fastening means. The bucket pans 90 are semi-cylindrical in shape with relatively straight end walls 96.

The end members 19 are held in spaced apart relationship by means of a pair of tubular shafts Q1 and 88 (Figure 3) yieldingly urged apart so that the ends thereof will engage washer memzers 99 in abutting relationship with the tripping arms 81. The rod S1 is provided with a short tubular section IIliI welded thereto as at IIJI for telescopically receiving the inner end of the tubular section 93. A coil spring I32 encircles the shaft 13 and is mounted in the short tubular section I86 with one of its ends abutting the end of the tubular shaft 91 and its other end in abutting relationship with the tubular shaft 98. It will thus be seen that the shafts 81 and 9 8 will be yieldingly urged apart to create a pressure on the washer 9E! and thereby seal the shaft 13 and bearing portions 88 against the entrance of material being conveyed with the elimination of considerable wear.

When it is desired to prevent leakage of material being conveyed, a solid-walled bucket pan as shown in Figure is employed and said bucket pan includes a solid semi-cylindrical bottom wall I I5 having solid end walls I I1 connected to a rectangular Wire frame I IS in substantially the same manner as the reticulate conveyor bucket pan 90. The side walls I I1 are return bent at their upper ends as at I I9 and said return bent portions are looped over th end portions of the rectangular portion II8 so as to be held in place by clips I20 and fastening screws I2 I. The end members 19 are the same as those shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and the fastening screws I2I extend through the clips I26 with their free ends passing through openings in the end plate for the reception of nuts thereon. The end walls as shown in Figure 5 are cut out as at 88 for receiving the tripping arm 81 in identically the same manner as described in connection with the conveyor bucket in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.

As shown in Figure l, a pair of bracket plates I435 are mounted in opposed relation on the conveyor channel extension 6! and said brackets I43 are provided with tubular bosses I44 for supportinginwardly projecting tripping pins I45 which extend inwardly into the path of the tripping arm 81 afiixed to each end of the conveyor buckets. Obviously, the tripping brackets I43 may be placed in any desired position.

In the modified conveyor structure shown in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive, a pair of opposed channel guide members I16 is provided. Mounted within each of the guide channel frame members I16 is a conveyor chain including inner and outer chain links I11 and I18 respectively with alternate pairs of inner and outer links connected by pivot pins I19. The other ends of the inner and outer links I11 and I18 are interconnected by the conveyor bucket supporting shaft I and rollers WI and I82 are disposed on the chain pivot pins I19 and conveyor supporting shaft I80 respectively, with the rollers supported between the ends of said pairs of links. The rollers I8I and I82 are adapted to travel in the opposed channelways I16.

Rotatably mounted on each shaft I88 is a tubular shaft I83 to the ends of which is affixed a pair of bucket pan supporting end members I84. The end members I84 are provided with enlarged bearing bosses I85 having openings I86 for receiving the tubular shaft I83 so that the bearing bosses may be welded to the ends of the tubular shaft I83 as indicated by the reference character I81. The extreme ends of each tubular shaft I83 project laterally and engage the innermost outer link I18 of the conveyor chain so as to hold said chains in spaced apart relation. The end members I84 are provided along their top edges with flanges I 88 for engaging a slide trackway I39 supported by the opposed channel guide I18 by means of suitable brackets I98, so as to hold the buckets against limited swinging movement of the supporting shaft I80 as illustrated in Figure 7 as the buckets traverse the loading station or filling hopper. The end members I84 to which the conveyor buckets are attached are provided with vertical ribs I9I having enlarged weighted portions I82 at the lower ends thereof to project laterally therefrom and provide tilting means for the buckets as they traverse the loading station and, if desired, tripping means for the buckets at a dumping station. The end members I 84 are provided with enlarged bosses I93 (Figure 8) having recesses I94 for optionally receiving tripping arms (not shown). Reenforcing webs I95 interconnect the end members I84 with the guide ribs I88 to increase the rigidity of the end wall structure and provide a substantially solid casting. The conveyor bucket pan is illustrated in Figure 9 and indicated generally by the reference character I90, and said bucket pan includes an arcuately curved bottom wall I91 having end walls I98 secured thereto to complete the structure. The end walls I98 are provided with inwardly directed marginal flanges I99 to which the bottom wall I91 may have its ends secured as by means of welding or the like. Each of the end walls I99 of the conveyor bucket pan is cut away as at 200 to receive the enlarged boss I93 on the inner surface of the conveyor bucket end plate members I84. Machine screws or the like 20I are passed through openings 202 in the end walls I08 of the bucket pan so as to securely anchor said bucket pan I96 to the end members I94 as illustrated clearly in Figure 7. The bottom wall I91 has its free edges slightly angled as at 203 to provide an upstanding flange portion and reenforce the edge so as to prevent bending thereof.

As shown in Figure 7, a loading hopper is disposed above the conveyor buckets for the purpose of filling the same and said loading hopper is generally indicated by the reference character 204 and is prbvided with a short slanting bottom wall portion 205 and a staggered elongated bot- I tom wall portion 206 thereby forming a discharge spout 201, inclined at an angle in a direction opposite to the direction of conveyor travel to permit the material being loaded to be discharged into the conveyor buckets. In order to prevent the material being discharged from overflowing the buckets, they are tilted slightly and within the limits of the guide track I89 by means of an adjustable tilting track member 209 engageable with the weighted projections I92. The tilting guide trackway. 209 is located on each side of the conveyor bucket and is pivotally supported by a pair of bracket members 209 arranged in spaced relation and fastened to the floor 219 by means of bolts for the like as at ZI I. 2 I2 interconnect the brackets 209 and the tilting trackway 208 and said interconnecting links are pivoted thereto as at 2I3. One end of each of the tilting tracks or guideways 208 is provided with an eye 214 forpivotally receiving a screw rod 2I5 so that the free ends of the screw rod as at 2 I6 may extend through a bracket 211 and be adjustably held in place by a locking nut 2I8. The bracket 2| 1 is fastened to the floor 2I0 by its angle portion 2I9. It will thus be seen that the tilting trackway 200 may be raised or lowered in parallelism with the floor 2I0 so that the conveyor buckets entering the filling station will be tilted slightly as in Figure '7 so that one end of the guide flange I00 will be moved into sliding engagement with the slide trackway I89 at each end of the conveyor bucket.

The conveyor chains comprising the links I11 and I18 are also provided with guide shoes 220 affixed to the chain pins I19 (Figure 6) and to the ends of the conveyor supporting rods I80. Said shoes, links, rollers are held in place by cotter keys 22I extending through suitable apertures in the ends of the link pins- I19. and conveyor supporting rods I80 respectively.

As illustrated in Figure 8, a pair of material confining plates 222 and 223 are disposed at each side of the loading hopper above and below the opposed channel members I16 so as to prevent the material being fed to the buckets from escaping laterally and to hold down as much as possible the dust arising from the falling of the powdered material. The lower confining plate 222 terminates a short distance short of the ends Pivot links of the tubular shaft I83 and similarly, the upper confining plates 223 have their lower edges terminating a distance in close relation to said tubular shafts I83 so as to shield the opposed conveyor chains against contamination and clogby the material being fed to the buckets.

What I claim is:

l. A bucket conveyor comprising a conveyor supporting structure, a pair of conveyor chains spacedly mounted on said structure, a bucket supporting rod extending between said conveyor chains and having its opposite ends connected thereto, a pair of bucket pan-supporting end members spacedly mounted on said rod, a rectangular frame connected between said end members, a trough-shaped bucket pan secured to and suspended from said frame, said bucket pan having opposite end walls engageable with said end members, each of said end walls of said pan having a cutaway portion extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof and spaced away from said bucket-supporting rod whereby to enable removal of said bucket pan, and fasteners lcjletachably securing said pan to said end memers.

2. A bucket conveyor comprising a conveyor supporting structure, a pair of conveyor chains spacedly mounted on said structure, a bucket supporting rod extending between said conveyor chains and having its opposite ends connected thereto, a pair of bucket pan-supporting end members spacedly mounted on said rod, a rectangular frame connected between said end members, a trough-shaped bucket pan secured to and suspended from said frame, said bucket pan having opposite end walls engageable with said end members, each of said end walls of said pan having a cutaway portion extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof and spaced away from said bucket-supporting rod whereby to enable removal of said bucket pan, and fasteners detachably securing said pan to said end members and to said frame.

3. A bucket conveyor comprising a conveyor supporting structure, a pair of conveyor chains spacedly mounted on said structure, a bucket supporting rod extending between said conveyor chains and having its opposite ends connected thereto, a pair of bucket pan-supporting end members spacedly mounted on said rod, a trough-shaped bucket pan having opposite end walls engageable with said end members, and fasteners detachably securing said pan to said end members, each of said end walls of said pan having a cutaway portion extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof and spaced away from said bucket-supporting rod whereby toenable removal of said bucket pan. I

" HENRY W. HAPMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

